How do you decide what kind of addiction treatment is best for you? Practical considerations such as cost, insurance coverage, and location are key. However, the choice between inpatient and outpatient may be the most important. In some cases, there is no decision to be made. For people with life-threatening illnesses or infections or who…
If you suspect that you or a loved one is addicted to an opioid, like prescription narcotics, or opiate, like heroin or morphine, it’s the right time to look into treatment. If you feel suspicious and worry about your drug use, you have already entered the stage of recovery called “contemplation.” You are no longer…
What is an opioid? It is a synthetic or partly synthetic substance, meaning it was created in a lab. It acts on the human body the way an opiate does. However, opiates come from the naturally occurring poppy plant, but the makeup of opiates and opioids are very similar. Common opioids include Vicodin (hydrocodone), OxyContin…
Opioid overdoses have doubled in the United States during the pandemic. People in isolation and struggling with job insecurity, loss of loved ones, and fear of illness are relapsing or doubling their substance use as a coping mechanism. Pennsylvania Adult and Teen Challenge (PAATC) is here to help anyone who is ready to take the…
Percocet is a narcotic analgesic that doctors commonly prescribe to treat acute pain and moderate to severe chronic pain. This medication is a combination of oxycodone, which is a derivative of opium, and acetaminophen, a non-narcotic analgesic. However, it is also highly addictive. During the pandemic, there has been a rise in substance misuse and…
Opioid addiction rates have risen since the late 1990s when reassurances that patients could not become addicted to prescription opioid painkillers turned out to be dangerously false. Today, there are over 100 deaths a day in the US due to opioid overdoses. The national crisis involves prescription drugs as well as illegal opioids like heroin.…
Unfortunately, we are living in an opioid epidemic. Countless people have battled an opioid addiction. In many cases, this addiction starts with prescription medications. Opioid medications remain the first-line treatment option for chronic pain. Unfortunately, these medications are incredibly addictive and can open the doors to more dangerous substances, such as heroin. In addition, because…
Among the various issues facing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania today, the opioid epidemic is among the worst. Both legal and illegal opioids have the potential to cause serious damage to someone’s life. Therefore, everyone needs to know what they should do if they are looking for assistance. At Pennsylvania Adult & Teen Challenge, we are…